Revision as of 23:09, 1 August 2011

There are 165,000 people in Western Samoa. All are Polynesian and speak Samoan. American Samoans also have a rich language that remains the main language of the people.

English is the second language and all islanders can speak English as well. There are several levels of spoken language. The high talking chiefs have a high oratory of rhetoric that only the indoctrinated can understand. They are the politicians and negotiators. There are regular chiefs that speak the everyday language of the people and get things done. Many have noticed how similar this is to mainland American society.

Palagis (Caucasians) who try to learn are a great source of entertainment to native speakers. Learn to laugh along with them and be grateful their English is better than your Samoan!

Samoan is from the Austronesian family of languages. It is closely related to other Polynesian languages, especially Tongan. Here is a very cursory overview of the language and some vocabulary.

Consonants: p,t,m,n,g,f,v,s, and a glottal stop, '

A glottal stop is when you start a vowel with your throat closed, as usually is done in English. If you didn't, the word 'apple' would sound like 'happle.'

More letters k,h and r were added to the Samoan alphabet for foreign or borrowed words. To complicate things for the beginner, in the common vernacular some consonants are transposed when spoken: l for r and k for t. Thus the name Maria can become Malia and telefoni can become kelefoni.

The "g" is pronounced with "ng" sound, so Pago Pago is pronounced Pahngo Pahngo. You can have fun correcting your educated friends with this one.

Vowels: a,e, i, o, u pronounced generally as in romantic languages such as Spanish and Italian.

HERE IS A SMALL VOCABULARY

a

of, particle used in many ways

a'oga

school

ai

eat

a'u

I, me

ali'i

man of rank, chief

alofa

love

asu

smoke from a fire

Atua

God

alu

go

aumai

get or bring

fa'a

In the way of, fa'a Samoa, the Samoan way

fa'afetai

thank you

fa'amolemole

please

faia'oga

teacher

fale

house, falea'oga- school house

galuega

work

i

in, particle denoting position

ie

togafine mat

Kerisimasi

Christmas. The Samoan word for Christ is Keriso and Kerisian for Christian.

lava

commonly used like saying "enough" in English

lavalava

clothes, particularly a wrap-around cloth

le

the, definite article, plural e

leaga

bad

leai

no, none, gone

lelei

good

lei

ivory

matua

parent

mai

from

motu

island

moa

chicken

manuia

happy, lucky, Manuia le aso

manuia le kerisimasi

merry christmas

matai

title of extended family chief

o

of

oka

okaoka, exclamation of surprise

papalagi

also palagi, anglos

palolo

segmented sea creature that comes out of the coral to breed (and be eagerly eaten)